1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a message-creating game machine that combines predetermined characters or strings of characters to create a message and that uses a (wired or wireless) telephone link to transmit the message to a receiver, and to a message-creating method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Game machines are known in which the fifty characters of the Japanese syllabary are displayed in ten rows of five sounds on a monitor screen. A game player successively selects characters from among the displayed characters to create the name and address of the player, and the game machines print out a sheet on which a plurality of seals, each having the created name and address, are printed.
In game machines of this type, from among characters being displayed, some characters are selected and simply displayed in the order of selection. The selected characters are printed on a seal having a predetermined format such as a name field and an address field, and no message is composed. The known game machines have only a printout function and no function of transmission to another game player.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a message-creating game machine that creates a message by effectively combining sentences, words, and characters, and that transmits the created message to a specified receiver via a telephone link, and to provide a message-creating method therefor.
To this end, according to an aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is achieved through provision of a message-creating game machine including: a storage unit including at least one storage unit among a first storage unit for storing a plurality of images displaying character strings constituting sentences; a second storage unit for storing a plurality of images displaying character strings constituting words; and a third storage unit for storing a plurality of monosyllabic character images; a display unit for displaying characters; a character-image-display control unit for displaying the character images stored in the storage unit on the display unit; a selecting unit for selecting at least one character image from among the character images displayed on the display unit; and a message-synthesizing unit for synthesizing a message from the selected character image.
Preferably, the message-synthesizing unit performs audio synthesizing to compose the message in the form of audio signals.
The first storage unit may store sentences so that the sentences have a plurality of parlance patterns, and the message-synthesizing unit may perform the audio synthesizing after selecting any one parlance pattern from among the plurality of parlance patterns.
The message-creating game machine may further include: a game-element display-control unit for displaying a plurality of game elements on the display unit; and a game-element selecting unit for selecting a game element from among the game elements displayed on the display unit. The message-synthesizing unit may perform audio synthesizing by unit of the parlance pattern corresponding to the selected game element.
The message-creating game machine may further include a data storage unit for storing created messages so that the created messages can be read.
The message-creating game machine may further include a communication control unit and a telephone unit including at least an operation unit. The character-image-display control unit may display a telephone-number entering screen. The communication control unit sends a call to a telephone number entered from the operation unit, and the message-synthesizing unit outputs the synthesized message to the telephone unit.
The message-creating game machine may further include a time-measuring unit and a transmission-time designating unit. The communication control unit may perform a calling process at a time designated by the transmission-time designating unit.
The message-creating game machine may further include: an identification-information storage unit for storing identification information assigned to the entirety of the message-creating game machine; and an identification-information adding unit for adding the identification information to a message to be transmitted.
The message-creating game machine may further include a communication-disabling unit for disabling calling to a specified telephone number.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is achieved through provision of a message-creating method using a storage unit including at least one storage unit among a first storage unit for storing a plurality of images displaying character strings constituting sentences; a second storage unit for storing a plurality of images displaying character strings constituting words; and a third storage unit for storing a plurality of monosyllabic character images. The message-creating method includes the steps of: displaying the monosyllabic character images on a display unit; selecting at least one image from among the displayed monosyllabic character images; and using the selected image to synthesize a message.
Preferably, the message is formed in the form of audio signals by performing audio synthesizing.
The first storage unit may store sentences so that the sentences have a plurality of parlance patterns, and audio synthesizing may be performed after selecting any one of the parlance patterns.
The plural different type game elements may be displayed on the display unit. By selecting one game element from among the displayed game elements, the audio synthesizing may be performed using the parlance pattern corresponding to the selected game element.
The created messages may be stored in a data storage unit so as to be read.
The message-creating method may further use a telephone means, whereby a call is sent to an entered telephone number and the synthesized message is transmitted from the telephone means to a receiver.
In the message-creating method, with a time measured, a calling process may be performed when the measured time reaches a designated transmission time.
In the message-creating method, with identification information assigned to a message-creating game machine, the identification information may be added to a message to be transmitted.
In the message-creating method, calling to a specified telephone number may be disabled.
According to the present invention, selected character strings and monosyllabic characters are automatically combined to synthesize a message. This can provide a game in which message creation is easily performed.
A message can be directly transmitted as sound to a recipient""s telephone.
A character-selecting operation by the player can be facilitated.
Reproduction can be performed when required, and a highly applicable multi-purpose game can be provided.
An interesting game in which the player can transmit the message without talking by telephone can be provided. Identification information is added to a message. This enables a recipient who received a message to know the place of a game machine having transmitted the message and to preferably and easily check the profile of a person who sent the message.
In addition, it is possible to securely prevent the present game from being applied by mistake or for fun.